We held our 12th Wakefield MAG Biker Quiz Nite on Wednesday 18th November, in our HQ, the Grey Horse on Kirkgate, Wakefield. Our meeting room was packed out with around 50 participants making up teams representing Leeds MAG, Huddersfield MAG, Sheffield & Rotherham MAG, Barnsley & Doncaster MAG, Wakefield MAG (obviously), West Yorkshire VJMC and many others (thousand apologies if you haven't got a mention).
We followed our tried and tested format, with 60 questions in total being asked, 30 pure bike / biking knowledge questions and 30 general knowledge.
After collecting the entry fees and issuing the answer sheets and pens, we started around quarter past 8 with the first set, all about Motorcycle Sport, then 5 general knowledge, then 5 bike questions, 5 general knowledge and so on.
Some of the bike knowledge questions really tested the grey matter, but if it's too easy, it's not worth winning is it ? Others were more obvious, but not sufficiently so, thus causing lots of self doubt and team debate. We had a brief break at the half way point (time to go to the bar and buy a raffle ticket to win a tenner), then continued until all 60 had been asked, and then had a 20 minute break, when we ran another raffle, this time to win prizes (chocolates, sweets and wine).
Time then to swap the papers with your neighbouring team ready for marking. But before we went through the quiz answers, we drew the raffles and had several winners already, regardless of their quiz scores.
We then went through the answers with only the one disputed answer this year (and thanks to 100% Biker magazine that provided that particular question / answer material).
The papers were then swapped back and we had a run down to find out who had won.
Nobody had 50-60 right, but 1st place, with a most impressive 44 points, was Leeds MAG.
Leeds MAG have a bit of a history with this quiz, having won it outright seven times previously (2004-2007 & 2012-2014) & coming second twice (2008 & 2009). Being first, Team Captain Dave Nash had the choice of prize, and opted for a case of Carlsberg (good choice, as it was the most expensive !!!). They also got to retain the champions trophy, which, as they had forgotten to bring it this year, was just as well !!!
Continuing our count down, we had 2 teams on 37 points, so time to break out our tie break questions (only the second time this has ever happened). It was between a Wakefield MAG team, and the VJMC. The questions were all about the largest bike manufacturers over several decades, from until World War I: Indian (producing over 20,000 bikes per year), by 1920: Harley-Davidson, by the late 1920s & early 1930s: DKW, after World War II: the BSA Group (producing up to 75,000 bikes per year in the 1950s) and from 1955 until the 1970s: NSU. Wakefield MAG's Bill guessed BSA for every one, and the tactic paid off, as they won the tie break and coverted 2nd place.
VJMC, thus came 3rd.
Finally, it was time to determine that equally highly contested prize (and the only one worth winning in my opinion) - the Booby Prize for coming last. We started the count backwards from zero to 10, then 10 to 20, and the winners of this most prestigious category, with a still respectable 23 points, was another Wakefield MAG team. Team Captain Barnsley Bob had the dubious honour of receiving the coverted booby prize, which does the rounds on all our competitive events - the fat bird on a scooter trophy !!!!! Also thrown in were a couple of four packs of Aldi Lager Shandy (there is a greater alcohol content in tap water than this bargain brew ;-)
A huge thanks to everyone who attended the Wakefield MAG Quiz. I think it's fair to say we all had a scream. Congratulations to all teams, it was a brilliant night and a good time was had by all. Educational and fun (why couldn't school have been like this ?!?!!?).
and the icing on the cake ....
The quiz and raffles raised £173.43 (no idea where the 43p came from) - £143.43 profit after the cost of the prizes has been deducted, which all goes towards the MAG Fighting fund. We had pipped last years amount (which was then an all time record) by a couple of quid. It wasn't so long ago that the quiz always used to make a loss, nowerdays, it turns a tidy profit. Awesome ... no other word for it.
A huge thanks again to everyone who turned up and contributed to a most memorable quiz. Hope to see you at our 13th quiz in a years time !!!